More than $300,000 has been raised to support former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm’s recovery after he was recently paralyzed in a horseback riding accident, according to an online fundraiser.
Since launching the GoFundMe campaign on Sunday, organizers have received more than 3,000 individual donations to help cover Grimm’s ongoing medical expenses. The funds will contribute to his long-term recovery efforts, which organizers estimate will cost millions of dollars.
“Our friend, former Marine, FBI Agent, and U.S. Congressman Michael Grimm was paralyzed following a devastating accident when thrown from a horse in September 2024,” organizers with the Michael Grimm Supplemental Needs Trust wrote on the fundraiser page. “He has been in the most devastating of situations, and through the grace of God and the amazing medical teams who have helped him, Mr. Grimm has miraculously thread the needle to survive.”
Former New York City Council Member Vincent Ignizio told CBS News that Grimm, an avid equestrian, had been taking part in a polo tournament two months ago when he was thrown from his horse, paralyzing him from the waist down.
Grimm, 54, a former Marine, FBI agent, and lawyer, served as the U.S. representative for Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn from 2010 to 2015. He was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2012 and 2014, despite facing legal challenges, including a 20-count indictment for tax fraud during his 2014 campaign.
In April 2013, federal authorities indicted Grimm on charges of tax, insurance, and immigration fraud related to a Manhattan restaurant he co-owned before entering Congress. He pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud in December 2013, avoiding a trial on the other charges. Grimm resigned from Congress on January 5, 2015, just weeks after securing re-election.
He served a seven-month prison sentence. Following his release, Grimm failed to regain the trust of the electorate, losing a 2018 Republican primary to incumbent Dan Donovan, who had taken his seat in the May 2015 special election held after Grimm’s resignation. He later turned to media work, becoming a frequent commentator on Newsmax.
View this post on Instagram
The fundraiser, with a goal of $2.5 million, remains active as Grimm continues to face a challenging recovery process aimed at helping him regain mobility.
Several local elected officials from across the aisles have shared the GoFundMe page, wishing Grimm a speedy recovery, including Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams.
“I served with Michael Grimm in congress, and for all our differences, I know he cared for our state,” Hochul posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Please join me in keeping him and his loved ones in your prayers tonight.”
Mayor Adams wrote on Veteran’s Day that he was “deeply saddened” by the news of the former Marine’s riding accident: “My thoughts and prayers are with former Congressman Michael Grimm.”
Sharing the fundraiser link, Democratic southern Brooklyn Council Member Justin Brannan encouraged followers to donate “Mike and I disagree on everything, but this isn’t about politics,” he said. “If you can help.”
